TiEcon 2009

Held on 4 November 2009 and conducted by The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Karachi, TiEcon 2009 proved to be a huge success for present and future business people. The one-day conference-cum-workshop was intended to provide a networking platform along with discussions with all the business gurus on the success of their businesses. The participants included students and entrepreneurs. The speakers included were:
Jawwad Farid, CEO Alchemy
Sameera Raja, Owner, Canvas Gallery
Jehan Ara, President PASHA
Adil Moosajee, Owner, EGO
Saleem Shahzad Ali, CEO Student Biryani
and others.
The conference started with tales form the business tycoons of how they strived to lift up from their failures and pursue their dreams to become successful. It was followed by a Q/A session with the speakers. A debate was conducted between four speakers on "Conventional wisdom is becoming increasingly irrelevant" which proved to be a very learning experience. The performance by Taal Karisma stole the show. The band is the first body percussion band of Pakistan and they proved it by performing live producing sound by hitting their bodies rhythmically. The techniques of pitching ideas with Jehan Ara and Jawwad Farid were outstanding.
Overall, the conference was a very fruitful and learning approach to discuss and network for established and aspiring entrepreneurs. In the end, the participants received gifts from sponsors (that was the best part)!

NRO - black law of the country?

What is happening in this country? What has happened to this nation? MQM President Mr. Altaf Hussain is suggesting to the President of the country to resign and face the courts!!!???
The mistakes of former President are making the present of this country suffer. It was a drastic step to forgive all the law suits against big political culprits but now the problem has risen up again. The demon named National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) is back and God knows better what's going to happen now.

Fusion of Sufi classical music with Kenyan music

The synergy of two radically different cultures came forward on aturday evening at an annual fundraiser at the Aga Khan University (AKU). The musical fusion between Kenya and Pakistan was an electrifying event. The artists involved were Nizar Lalani and Mohammad Ali of Pakistan and Kenyan band of Njane Mugambi, along with fabulous performances of Nighat Chaudhry, a classical Kathak dancer, and Fernando Anuang’a, a Maasai dancer.
At the start of the programme, artistes Nighat Chaudhry and Fernando separately showed their skills and later indulged in a ‘Jugalbandi’ which enthralled the audience. Fernando also performed the famous ‘Masayi’ dance which included a lot of jumping; it was a way to seduce women, he said.
Mugambi, a Kenyan musician, came to Pakistan with his band and brought the message of love from the coast of Kenya. He and his colleagues arrived in the city to attend a special concert, “A Journey in Sound,” which was arranged by the Aga Khan University. The concert was a cultural event of two continents, Africa and Asia, in which Kenya and Pakistan participated. The artists from both countries presented their culture and traditions through dances and music, demonstrating an openness to explore other forms of expressions and illustrating that art in all its forms can evolve to become a universal language.
Talking to the press, Mugambi said: "The coast of Kenya is a hub of Sufi music like Sindh. I know Sindh is the land of Sufis and Sufi music, and so is the coast of Kenya. But I believe the ragas and melodies of Sufi music in Sindh are more gripping, whereas in the coast of Kenya, poetry is more potent."
Nizar Lalani said: "Music is entertainment. And in the USA, music is the second biggest entity for generating income. Then why cannot the case be the same in Pakistan? We must think about it."

Pakistan: A Peaceful Country or Place of Terror?

Text messages of prayers are spreading like a wildfire. The nation has become a house for terrorists to practice and show off their tactics. ANP President says the terrorists have already entered the "city of lights" and God knows what will happen. The primary factor of a country's prosperity is education and after today's incident at Islamic University, Islamabad, the educational institutions have been closed for at least 3 days. What a pity! This is a call for all the Pakistanis to be together and forget all the past differences. Let's pray for the peace and progress of our beloved nation, Pakistan. Amen!

Car Insurance

People use the Internet, telephone, magazines and TV advertisements to get information on the best deal on car insurance.

Owning and driving a car means taking on many risks to yourself and others. When a traffic accident happens, damage, injuries, loss or all of these factors may be inflicted upon you and others. Other damages
include loss of your property, fire, theft, vandalism and natural disasters.

Car Insurance protects motorists and drivers against liability in the event of accidents they may cause. It can also provide cover for the motorist's own vehicle.

Many different types of cover are available, ranging from third party cover which protects individuals against liability should they injure a third party or cause damage to a third party's property, but does not provide any cover for the individual's own vehicle or property, through to comprehensive cover, which can offer protection for accidental damage, theft, fire damage as well as liability towards third parties.

Here are 5 steps to follow to find the cheapest deal:

STEP ONE: The easiest way to cut your insurance premiums is to accept a higher voluntary excess. An insurer's standard excess may be £100; but if you meet the first £250 of any claim, you'll see a reduction in your premium. This is simply because you are more of the risk so you get a discount by your insurance company.

STEP TWO: One way to get cheaper insurance premiums is to fit a security device. If you are living in a high-risk which may be known for car crime it would be useful to fit an extra security such as steering lock. This will save you money when your insurance renewal is due and gives you extra peace of mind.

STEP THREE: Adding a named driver to your policy can increase or reduce your premiums depending upon the named drivers age, sex and driving record. When adding a young driver will increase your premiums, particularly with a limited or poor driving record. However, adding a driver over 30 years old with a long and clean driving record can cut premiums, particularly if the named driver is a female.

STEP FOUR: If your annual mileage is, 4,000 miles or less, ask insurers if they offer discounts for agreed mileage restrictions, as some insurance companies do give discounts for restricted mileage.

STEP FIVE: The biggest potential savings come from shopping around. This has been made much easier with the explosion of the internet. There can be massive differences between the lowest and highest car insurance quotes for exactly the same car and driver.

"Old Bridge" of Mostar

Annually, around one million tourists visit Mostar, partly due to the nearby Catholic pilgrimage site, Medjugorje. The city of Mostar's prime attraction is the "Old Bridge" over the Neretva River. The bridge was originally built during the 16th century Ottoman rule, destroyed in the 1993 conflict, and was later overhauled and rebuilt with funding from the World Bank, UNESCO, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the World Monuments Fund. Several countries--including Italy, the Netherlands and Croatia--also provided funds. Many world-renowned figures, including Britain's Prince Charles, attended the "Old Bridge's"opening ceremony in 2004.

His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan receives honorary Canadian citizenship

Parliamentarians have voted to grant the Aga Khan honorary Canadian citizenship in what the prime minister describes as a recognition of his leadership in promoting "development, pluralism and tolerance around the world."

Honorary Canadian citizenship is bestowed by the Governor General and requires the unanimous approval of all voting MPs.

Born in Geneva, Shah Karim al-Hussayni is the fifth person to be named an honorary Canadian citizen.

The Aga Khan is the 49th hereditary imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and is widely recognized for his work against poverty and his promotion of tolerance.

Now 72, he is the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, which works in Asia and Africa and is one of the world's largest private development networks.

The federal government is teaming with the Aga Khan to build the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa, which will promote ethnic, cultural and religious exchange and education.

"Our government appreciates the work of the Aga Khan Development Network to improve the quality of life of people in many of the world's most impoverished nations," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a release Friday.

"In particular, we are grateful for the immense contribution the Aga Khan Development Network is making in Afghanistan, as we work together to help the people of that country build a better future.

"I look forward to welcoming the Aga Khan back to Canada as an honorary citizen, and continuing to work closely with him to improve tolerance, pluralism and development around the world."

The Aga Khan was in Edmonton recently to receive an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Alberta, where he spoke at length about ethics and "the arrogance of colonialism, the rigidities of communism, the romantic dreams of nationalism (and) the naive promises of untrammelled capitalism."

Honorary Canadian citizenship has been given to four others: Swedish diplomat and Holocaust hero Raoul Wallenberg (posthumously in 1985); former South Africa president and Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela (2001); the Dalai Lama (2006); and pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi (2007), a Nobel laureate who has spent most of the last 20 years under house arrest in her native Myanmar.